Unfortunate Starstruck
by gurllimerdancer57
Summary: Leah came to a modeling contest with her best friend. But when her BFF fails to be a friend and chooses a snobby rich princess, she discovers that she can't stay friends and win at the same time. She has to fight and win like never before without her BFF.
1. 1: Miss Competitors

I walked down the fresh sidewalk, searching for my best friend. We're going into a business like no other; New York Modeling Co., and the things we'd need to cover – snotty, vicious girls, to perky, rich, and preppy liars.

I kicked a small pebble with my Alvarado pink stilettos, and pulled my iPhone out of my gray Fabulous Chick outer layer. I scanned my contact list, and found Paytin's number. I pressed the SEND and paced back in forth by the building, nervously chewing on my once perfect manicured nails.

When I called for the third time, someone familiar's voice called my name. "Leah!" I turned around, my long ash blonde hair whipping me in the face, and started running.

"Omigod, Paytin?" I squealed. "You're a brunette!"

"Yeah, I just did that about five hours ago in the hotel, and I decided I wanted highlights and layers. What do you think? I have shorter hair!"

"Yeah, you cut off like, seven inches! And it's still long!" I smiled, and hugged her.

"I know! Its super suburb and totally awesome! Oh, and my mom has good luck bags which I really don't know what's inside so…bare with me."

"Well, what do you think of my outfit? Fab or what?" I asked, looking down at my Char hot pink ruffled silk shirt. I felt my hair; blond at the top, and a deep brown underneath, and super long and straight. I put in tons of hairspray, spent about an hour doing beauty, and spent about two hours getting dressed.

"It's super amazing, especially the dark skinny jeans and Char ruffle shirt with a gray long sweater. I'm super jealous…" But the way she looked, she wanted to look better than me. She eyed my hoop earrings and diamond studs in the second hole, and my sparkly diamond necklace. We both got a 30,000 dollar grant for making it to the building, and my outfit is what I spent it on; stupidly but smartly.

"Hey, I'm so super excited that we got to choose our roommates as we wanted!" We started walking down the sidewalk towards the dorm building's lobby.

"Um, yeah, about that…see, I met this other girl last year when I was going through this and…well, we became really close. Her name is Tierney, and…see, I signed her up for being roommates as number one. I'm sorry, Leah…I feel so bad for you since it's your first year doing the whole process."

I felt like I was slapped. She…we…we aren't roommates? I wanted to hit her across the face as jealousy ran over me, and I felt so stupid. Obviously, she's trying to win and leave me to pieces. But would I want to stop being friends with someone so experienced yet?

Maybe…

"Oh." Is all I said, and I picked up my pace.

She started to catch up, on my heels. "Are you mad? Seriously, I did not mean for this to happen, Leah! I swear, I never thought she'd sign me up as first, either! Sorry, really!"

"But that's the problem, Paytin. _You_ didsign _her _up for your first choice and not me. And you expect me not to be mad? I broke my leg last year in three different spots and all you can say is _sorry_? I went to every show last year, cheered you on, and was there for you to lean on when you lost and you don't give me any respect at all? Tierney _beat _you last year and rubbed it in your face and you call her your friend? _Last year_?" I spat.

"I'm sorry, Leah, I really am. I just didn't know for sure if you were joking or not, I swear and cross my heart. And then Tierney called and…" A bleach blond haired girl with blue streaks in got out of a limo, in sparkly silver stilettos, dark pre-ripped skinny jeans, and a sparkly silver jacket that went to her ribs and a baby blue striped shirt with stars all over it got out, and sashayed with her purse and her dog towards the building.

Paytin's eyes lit up, and she hurried over. "Omigod, Tierney!" I looked at my competitors, and glared. "You're bleach blond!" My mouthed dropped in shock. Paytin used the same words I did when I saw her, only without the Paytin part and the brunette hair color.

Tierney squealed, and grabbed Paytin in a hug. "You're amazing like last week when we got our hair done!"

I stared in shock, and wanted to scream. Tierney was such a suck-up to Paytin it wasn't even funny. I finally caught up with them, and Tierney's eyes glowed.

"And who's this? She looks like another version of me!"

"This is-"

I cut Paytin off. "Leah Myer. I'm a beginner and, well, I'm Paytin's first best friend." I snapped.

Tierney whispered something in Paytin's ear. Then, she smirked at me, reaveling a slight glow of laughter. "Wow, I didn't know you were such a prick. Oh, if you were wondering, this isn't the let's-snap-off-to-someone-new contest; this is a modeling show, if you were lost."

My face burned with anger. I was about to say something when Paytin broke the icy glaring and deathly silence. "Well, let's go check in…"

Fifteen minutes later, I was in dire shock. After I checked in, the woman at the desk said my roommates and the final information.

"You're in room 547 with Tierney Davis and Paytin Marshall." I was happy, but not happy, because of the Tierney and Paytin situation, but happy because I could get dirty in competition.

Us three grouped together, and Tierney and Paytin were squealing. "Omigod, Leah, guess what? Tierney and I got a room on level 5!" Paytin squealed. I smirked in delight, about to ruin their happiness.

"Who'd you get?" Tierney asked, pleased.

"Oh, just some brat named Tierney Davis and, oh, look; Paytin Marshall. Oh, poor best friends!" I snapped.

Tierney's mouth shut and she glared at me. Paytin looked around, almost as if disappointed.

"Oh. Cool," is all Paytin said.

We rolled our bags up to the elevator in silence. I knew that this was only the beginning; but it was already worse than before.


	2. 2: Reverse, reverse!

I woke up, mad, warm, and completely confused. I looked around; the room empty, and it was only seven in the morning. My modeling started tomorrow, and I was curiously walking around the spacious apartment. I checked in the living room with no one in it.

"Hello?" I called. I walked over to the big, open window. I looked down, seeing my ultra enemy and my best friend walking back to the building, laughing with Starbucks coffee in their hands.

About two minutes later, smiling Tierney and Paytin walked in with three cappuccinos, and a bag.

"Heyyy!" Paytin called. "How's my other bestie?"

"Fine." I muttered, trudging into my bathroom near my room.

"What's her problem?" I heard Tierney ask.

"She's just…I don't know. I think she's jealous of us and I bet she wants to kill me."

I spun around the corner, darting almost straight into a surprised Paytin. "I'm _not_ jealous, Paytin. You're leaving me behind and letting that beast treat me like her loyal servant!" I snapped.

"Well, maybe if you'd quit going on about how I just made a mistake and ended up being roomies with you anyways, you'd realize how stupid and spoiled you sound," she looked me in the eye; just like Tierney gave me when I met her. "You know I can snap back at you just as fast as you do it to me, Leah Myer,"

"You shouldn't talk that way to yourself. Yeah, I know who I am, and obviously, you don't know who _you_ are."

Just then, my phone buzzed anonymously.

_Tierney Davis: shut-up, loser. Ur such a poser. Just give up & go home now b4 its 2 l8. _

I glared at Tierney. Then, abruptly, I pulled up my phone to Paytin's face. She read the message, and turned around to Tierney.

"Omigod, Tierney. You just sent that to her? Stop before you get disqualified." She snapped. Then, settled, they went on gossiping.

When Paytin got up to go to the bathroom, Tierney snapped into full competitor diva mode. "Do you honestly think you're going to last or – more importantly – make it _tomorrow_? C'mon, really, I bet you used that grant that you got on that outfit from Macy's then bought some health insurance for yourself and bought some Barbie's to play with," she smirked. "Did you really, honestly think that you're actually worth it?"

"I didn't think, Tierney, and obviously you spent a long time in Macy's…I'm almost curious if you're trying to spread your own rumors on _me_. Oh, really, I'm flattered – and you still think Paytin's not going to be mad than ever if you talk like that to her _best friend_ since third grade?" Tierney looked around for another burn to hit me with. "Yeah, I didn't think so. And not to mention, you're such a liar. You both are – this is such a funny joke! Where'd you find this one – at the I'm-a-sour-loser store?"

"Actually, if you didn't just notice who's right behind you, you'd still probably have a best friend." I turned, shocked, at a Paytin who looks like I…I…I hurt her like I just did now.

"What? Why are you being such a jerk to Tierney? By the way – Tierney is actually rich, and she actually does have friends. She doesn't lie, and she's obviously not a sour loser, either, Ms. I-hate-Paytin-because-she-made-one-mistake-and-it-turned-out-sucky-and-unworthy-for-me princess." She huffed.

She walked over to the door, and she nodded for Tierney. "And maybe – just maybe – you should just go home. By the way – if you see my old best friend – tell her I want her to take your place."

I couldn't believe this was happening so quickly. Tierney's trying to replace me – and Paytin's falling for it.

Paytin opened the door and said, "I'll see you later, Leah."

"When are you coming back?" I choked out, trying not to break down. I didn't know anybody here _but _Paytin, and we had shopping plans made for today.

"Later." Tierney said, and they linked arms and walked out. Tierney glanced at me, and mouthed "Told you so."

I flopped onto the soft, plush couch and breaking my skinniness, I ordered an English Vanilla cappuccino, powdered mini doughnuts, spinach and artichoke dip and boiled chips, and bacon and maple sausage links to the room. I didn't care what the person said when the person would come up; right now all I cared about watching was some comedy movie like Grown Ups or some kid movie like Despicable Me.

After about ten minutes of previews and ten minutes of Despicable Me, a heard a knock on the door, and some Asian girl's voice was on the other side. I paused the movie and yelled, "Come in!"

The lady was Asian, and she strolled the cart in, smiling. "Oh, honey, are you okay?" she asked in her high pitched voice.

"Yeah, no, not really. My roommate Tierney is stealing my best friend and setting me up."

"Ahhh, those best friend troubles. My daughter is twelve and her best friend is ditching her…very sad, very sad….well, I hope you feel better dear…and, Tierney Davis, you say is your roommate?"

"Yeah, and my other roommate and best friend is Paytin Marshall."

"Oh, I have seen them in the spa about five minutes ago. Tierney had escorts and everything. Watch out; Tierney Davis is the fashion director's daughter. Mrs. Davis buys the judges to make her win all the time. And Tierney's not even that pretty! She goes to my sister's spa here in the building once a week, and she does do everything!" the woman huffed.

"Well, Miss, here's your coffee," she handed me my coffee. "Artichoke and Spinach dip, sausages, and last but very not least, your yummy doughnuts." She smiled at me.

"Thanks," I said, sitting up, letting the grueling information sink in.

"You're very, very pretty, Miss. I hope you make it far," she said, and with that, she strolled out.

After I finished the movie, my food, and licked the dip's bowl out, the door opened. Tierney just came in with more streaks, and perfect manicured nails, about five big shopping bags. Paytin had coffee, three shopping bags, and manicured nails, but with a look that she was feeling guilty about the fight that took place earlier.

"Um, hi," she whispered. Tierney stopped laughing, and dropped her bags off by the island.

"Omigod? You're feeling sorry for…." She drifted over my pile. "And who did you invite?" she asked.

"Oh, myself, my dignity, and, oh, the occasional hell," I snapped. "Like you even care,"

Paytin swallowed slowly.

I got up, and trudged to my room, changed into skinny jeans, gray stilettos, and a gray Hollister t-shirt with a black overlap, and walked out of the room with my purse. "See you later," I snapped, and as I walked out I heard Paytin start talking loudly.

As I was going down the hallway, I realized I forgot my phone on the coffee table. As I turned back around the corner, I walked straight into a guy.

"Oh, sorry!" I said, panicking. Then, I looked up into Mr. Dreamy-Hottie's eyes, and I felt like falling over. He was incredibly hot: to muscle shirt to tan skin, blue eyes, and….everything.

"No, no, your fine. I was just…." He trailed, looking back. "Yeah, um, talking to a friend."

"Sorry, again," I said, walking down the hall. He turned around, and grabbed my hand.

_Swoon. _

"Hey, I'll see you around, I guess. Fashion Contest?"

"Yeah. I was just about to go shopping for tomorrow."

"I'll see you tomorrow, then…." He trailed, wondering my name.

"Leah." I said, smiling.

"Right – Leah?" he asked, grinning.

"Pretty much," and we broke apart. Remembering his face, he reminded me of Ronnie from Jersey Shore. And I reminded myself of Sam.

I started walking back to the room, and opened the door to a once crying Paytin, and a glaring Tierney.

"You're just protecting her from nothing. Just like last year, you're gonna go out on the second day," Tierney snapped. "I suggest you pay me back that $850 I just spent on your clothes and that $70 I spent on your spa treatments." Tierney glanced up at me, and softened.

"You're such a princess," I heard Paytin mutter.

"Hey, Leah! Wanna go to the jewelry downstairs? Omigod, I could find the best color for your skin tone!" She said like we were mega BFF's.

"Umm…" I trailed, but nodded, afraid if she said no or killed me.

I walked in farther, grabbed my phone and heard Paytin whisper, "I'm sorry," but I didn't say a word because I was sick of apologies and fights.

I nodded, and walked out with a cheerful Tierney, and, actually, Tierney was talking about juicy gossip I was in dire need of hearing about.

Every time she started a new topic, I thought about Paytin. _That was me just a few hours ago_, I thought, _but why should you help her? She didn't for you; don't give it to her back! _

So I went with my cruel gut, and felt stupid. I was such a good friend, wasn't I?

Just then, my irritable phone rang; a text from Paytin.

_Paytin Marshall: im sorry, leah. Dont play along with that thing. Shes so self-centered! _

I saw Tierney reading it too, so I quickly typed back a reasonable answer for all three of us, and said:

_Leah Myer: dont tlk 2 me all. u left me, so y shuld i b nice 2 u? & rlly, i rlly wouldnt tlk like tht 2 urself. Give me some space 4 1nce. _

_Paytin Marshall: oh. _

And I didn't get one response for a while, but Tierney suddenly said with happiness, "You're smarter than I thought."

And I left it at that, untouched, and unfeared.


	3. Don't Apologize

As I strolled back to my apartment with Tierney, I realized I actually had fun with her. We went to the mall's food court and grabbed every shake off of a menu, and mixed the it all together, and went to Wal-Mart, grabbed about 18 sizes 38D for a bra, and threw them in people's carts when they weren't looking.

Then, we went to the water park and played in the little kid areas, and when the lifeguard was going to chew us out, we took a random little kid and began to act like they were our little sibling.

At the end of our journey, we actually confessed we weren't as bad as each other seemed. Right when we got into the elevator, I noticed that Tierney's once green streaks were dripped down her blonde hair, covering some blue, and making it look a half-and-half.

"Tierney, Omigod, your hair!" She pulled out her mirror, and began to inspect, looking like she was going to die. At six at night, the night before our first show of New York modeling, Tierney Davis, the awe-struck obvious supermodel, was having a crisis.

"Omigod! Holy crap!" She squealed. "This is _not _happening the day before the show! Omigod, we have to fix this, like, immediately!" She fumbled for her phone, and, I'm guessing she had her mom on speed dial, started talking fast into the phone.

We got out of the elevator, and her call ended. "What now?" I asked.

"Well, obviously, ignore Paytin, get my hair supplies, run to the spa, and get my hair fixed quickly before eight so it can dry and fix in at the right time," I went the direction for the vending machines, and when I walked in, I saw Paytin.

"Hi," she mumbled, looking away. I became weak and replied.

"Look, Paytin, I'm sorry. It's just, you took Tierney first, and this is like no time for irruptions, because we went to the water park and swam, now Tierney's newly streaked hair is dripping green and it's a half of bleach blonde, then lime green and waves of blue." I rushed, I forgot about the vending machine and ran to the elevator, finding Tierney super close to me.

I turned, but instead, I saw the hottie with dreamy eyes, then Paytin from the corner and Tierney down the hall.

"Hi,heyhow'!" I stammered to him.

"Uh, yeah," is all he said, and Tierney, me, and a gasping, surprised Paytin at my side were in the elevator.

"I'm sorry," Paytin said to Tierney, and Tierney just did a wimpy, sympathetic nod, and felt her hair.

Tierney looked at me, and then suddenly mad at me, asked sharply, "Do you know that guy who you were just talking to?"

"Um, not really," I said, uncomfortable underneath her deadly glare.

"Oh, well, stay away from him, anyways. His name is Drake, and he's my boyfriend." She spat, and quickly changed the topic. "Anyways, why the hell are you with us, Paytin? Don't you realize sorry is never enough? You humiliated me at the spa! Saying that I wear a wire retainer to bed, I had braces for five years in elementary school and saying aloud my bra size at the mud bath? Who would do that, seriously?"

"Look, I'm sorry! I always have done that with my friends! You did it to me last year when I beat you in a face expression and outfit connection contest, and you spilt it on camera! I _forgave you because you said SORRY_! Don't ever tell me sorry isn't enough, and I don't care how rich you are!" My eyes widen at the news. I barely remembered that happening, but coming from these two with so emotion, it's not that difficult to believe.

"Because you said that in a place where Asian people were; and Asian's gossip about rich Americans like me a hell of a lot more than we do any other race! Who do you think you are, Miss Princess of Eternity? Newsflash, Paytin, I won because my mom bribed a judge, and that only got me about five points higher than you and fifteen more points higher when it was only three people left. Don't you ever think just because I won, I'm rich, and I apparently am better than you on so many levels that I _cannot_ read people's minds? My God, you freak out on the smallest things, and when you tell something like that so personal….there's no words for it! So what, I'm not any higher than 18B, I'm small! I'm 5'6 and weigh only about 100 pounds! I've….you know what, Paytin, you went too far this time."

And we walked out of the elevator in three, and walked into the spa, about to repair the queen's stupid mistake of getting highlights at eight in the morning then going swimming at one in the afternoon, all mad at eachother.

But you know what I realized out of the one and a half days here? It's an emotion roller coaster. We hate each other, we love each other, and we're two vs. one, then opposite, and then we all hate each other, then we're at one vs. one vs. one.

There's no stop to the glaring, and no doubt are we ever going to get along. I can't believe how many times I've wanted to kill somebody. The more Paytin and I fight the closer Tierney and her get or the more Tierney and I get closer. I didn't reveal any personal stuff to Tierney, and I'm not going to start until I trust her.

Somehow, I feel like I actually have a chance. If I can balance this, think, and remind myself of what I need to do immediately, I'm pretty beautiful inside and out from another person's opinion, and can defend myself; I have a real chance of making it far in this fashion business.

I smiled to myself, but when we walked into the lobby, it was full freak out mode.

When we walked into the hairstyling room for clients, a small sized blonde was getting hair colors ready for Tierney. Tierney sat down without any mention of what she wanted, and she got started.

"Heidi!" she scolded. "Quit mixing and start coloring!"

Paytin and I stood there in shock, just waiting for the next drama-queen-madness Tierney had in stock next. And, as Heidi went on coloring, she'd need to mix, and Tierney would scold her again, but threaten to take her job away.

After about twenty minutes of coloring and highlighting, Tierney was finally under the heat globe, and a woman with long, honey blonde hair with tons of professional make-up on, a black dress and a white over-lap with a belt and shiny, silver stilettos and long hoop earrings with an expensive phone in her manicured hand, stood there; scowling.

"Tierney! I heard you're hanging out with that-that-that Paytin person and a beginner this year. Is this positively true? Why aren't you hanging out with Chloe or Tiffany or Jamie or Destiny? Their rich and…a little up-kept, and a perfect friendly competition – not some country wired hicks from Tennessee wanting to be famous."

She eyed us with her highlighted black and white eye-shadowed eyes and icy blue stare. Tierney, on the other hand, did not put up with her mother's snobby wishes. Instead, she told the truth from what I know about her. "No, Taeryn, my snobby, spoiled mother, Chloe, for one thing, hates me and I hate her, along with Tiffany, Jamie, _and _Destiny. I really don't care if Tiffany is my step sister; she's snobby and not modeling material. Look, just bribe the judges and get over it. And, besides, Paytin – yeah, she isn't like me, but wait until you see the way Leah dresses, mom; she looks a lot like me, and sometimes acts like me without knowing; I'm perfectly fine and capable of handling the winning score. Besides, you're going to be there because you made the competition long before I was even born – you're the host of it all."

"True- true – but who's this 'Leah-just-like-me-but-only-different' girl?" Taeryn asked.

"Um, me. I'm Leah." I said, and Taeryn whipped around in sudden amazement, looking at my outfit.

"Oh. You're…better than I thought. Why weren't you in it last year?"

"I broke my leg in a car accident. That's how my brother died…" I trailed, holding back tears. My brother, Braxton, was only seven years old. Now I'm sixteen going on seventeen, but I still remember it today. Me, my mom, my thirteen year-old sister, Braxton, and my four-year-old sister driving on the highway. Some drunk guy is driving crazily down the road.

_Click. Click. Click. _

The drunk guy hits a semi.

_Click. Click. Click. _

The semi rolls towards the to the other lane where we are.

_Click. Click. Click. _

The semi hits the right side – me in the front, Braxton right behind me.

_Click. Click. Click. _

My sister, Allison, covers my younger sister, Liliona. Braxton was asleep; clueless.

_Click. Click. Click._

The semi slams into my car door, molding my legs into it just a little bit. I hear cries, my piercing screams, and in the rearview mirror; blood. It all goes black.

_Click. Click. Click. _

Ambulance, lots of vehicles, news reporters, television reporters, but all I scream is Braxton, because I knew he was hurt. I see my mom, crying, and my other sisters on the side of my roller-bed. Allison was holding Liliona, and whispering ever so faintly, "Braxton….he's…he's…not going to make it."

I ordered the doctors over to Braxton, and I saw his body; bloody, unmoving, and – I saw him close his eyes for the last time. Then I saw why.

A glass plate was carved into his stomach; he had deep cuts on his head, and his leg was crooked.

I took one last look at my mom before I was sent into the hospital; brotherless.

Now, I look at Tierney and her mom thinking, _why the heck do you think it's all about fighting and controlling other people? Don't you realize that I lost a family member that I had so little time with, and yet, all you guys can do is fight?_

My thought remained unanswered, but I felt like my heart was in two; so sore, yet so…excited. I knew I could move on, but I want to put an accomplishment sturdy enough to have something to heave it up with. I still don't cry about it, but someday, just someday, I will.

And yet the world somehow keeps turning and the people in it keeps blurring.


End file.
